Valentine's Day
by edmundblack
Summary: /"Alice!"/"Frank!"/Frank knew Valentine's Day was stupid - just a ploy to get people to spend money on chocolates...But he's no Ravenclaw, and maybe now he's questioning that.


**For the Greek Mythology Challenge – Eros (Write about Valentine's Day). For the Hunger Games Trilogy Challenge – Annie Cresta (Write about Frank and Alice Longbottom). For the New Year's Resolution Challenge – Write something with humour.**

Usually Frank spent his Valentine's Days in the library, escaping the Marauders' antics, as they called themselves. It always involved Lily being approached by James at least half-a-dozen times and James opening his mouth, stuttering, and then ducking away. Frank had vowed that he would take no part in it, not ever, but by now it was his fifth year and he had fallen victim to a girl.

Not just any girl.

Alice.

Alice Firain, the bubbly Hufflepuff muggle-born who was friends with Mary McDonald and Lily Evans, the one with the brown hair that watched some show called 'Doctor Who' and used her wand to do all sorts of strange things, such as dying the ends of her hair yellow and black in preparation for Quidditch matches. Most people thought she was strange. Frank thought she was amazing.

"Alice!" He ran to catch up with her before the crowds started leaving for Hogsmeade. It was a surprisingly sunny day for February, and she had left her usually earmuffs and cloak behind, instead simply wearing a light, yellowish scarf. She turned her head to look at him, as did Mary, who was the only other one standing with her. He was grateful for that – if there had been a whole group of them, he probably would have done a James and ran off.

"Hiya, Frank." Alice grinned at him nervously, not showing her teeth but still looking sincere. Mary's lips quirked upwards and she was beckoned over to another group of giggling girls by Lily. He started to pant, from running and from being left alone with her and just everything. Bats swooped around his stomach, clawing at different parts of his anatomy, and he felt as if his throat was closing up.

"Alice! Hey, um, Alice…" He blushed down into his coat. She cocked her head sideways, smiling gently.  
"Yeah, Frank? Is everything alright?" She sounded concerned and he shook his head.

"No – well, yeah, I mean…" Frank had never felt so embarrassed in his life. How was he supposed to say this? _Stupid. _He could always just run away, just like James, and brush it off later, like it was a dare. But it _wasn't_, and he didn't want to lie to her. He just had to spit it out.

"Are you sure you're quite alright?" Alice reached out and her soft fingers grasped his hand, radiating warmth. "Do you want me to take you up to the Matron?"

"I was just…I guess you're hanging out with Mary and that today, right?" He was strangely hoping she'd say yes, and he'd say okay and then he wouldn't have to face up to anything, it could've just been a question and he could steer it off into safer territory…Like a conversation about Quidditch, or what had been in the Daily Prophet, or what she'd done over Christmas break.

"Oh," Her face fell slightly, "No. She and Lily and Marlene – they're going on a date. With the marauders or whatever they call themselves. Lily's agreed to go with James for the sake of a dare, Mary's going with Peter, Dorcas is going with Remus and Marlene thinks I'm boring so she's going too."

"With who?" He couldn't help himself – that was one of the reasons he got teased so much. He liked gossip a bit _too _much.

"No-one. Well," Alice snorted, "Technically, Sirius, but they technically hate each other. About as much as Lily and James do."

"Not much then," Frank smiled.

"Not much. Anyway, why?" She grabbed his other hand, and laughed a little. He blushed and ducked his head.  
"Well…would you want to go to the Three Broomsticks' with me?" He looked up quickly, and saw that her mouth was pressed in a small line, "If you want to…You don't have to….Sorry!" He pulled away and squirmed through the crowd, tears burning his eyes. _Idiot. _As if she'd ever want to go out with _him. _Stupid Frank, Frank Longbottom who couldn't play Quidditch and tripped over nearly everything and just…

"Frank!" He whipped around and saw Alice pushing through the crowd, and people's confused faces because the girl _never _pushed and always said please and thank you and excuse me and now she was running and _pushing? _

"A-Alice?" Frank stuttered. Had she come to yell at him?

"I want to go," She grinned, bouncing off the balls of her feet, "Sorry, I was just a bit…Shocked, I thought that you didn't…Of course I want to go!" His eyes widened, and the bats crawled up his throat, his whole body not really functioning as they ought to.

"You do?"  
"Of course, silly. C'mon, everybody's already leaving!" She grabbed Frank's hand and happily pulled him through the crowd, Frank following, excited but nervous all the same.

_Maybe Valentine's Day isn't that bad after all. _


End file.
